DFA Pays Tribute to Overseas Filipinos; Vows to Ensure Their Welfare, Comfort
30 November 2017 — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) today began its commemoration of the Month of Overseas Filipinos by paying tribute to the more than 10 million Filipinos overseas for the important role they are playing and the sacrifices they are enduring.
At the same time, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano assured members of the diaspora that the DFA will continue to pursue President Duterte’s directives to prioritize the concerns of overseas Filipinos by looking after their welfare and comfort and improving its accessibility and services.
“We would like to express our gratitude to our kababayans all over the world, whose tireless toil and sacrifice have helped improved the lives of many of our people back home,” Secretary Cayetano said in a statement from Hong Kong where he will be joining members of the Filipino Community in commemorating the Month of Overseas Filipinos. “We cannot thank them enough for the important role they play in transforming the Philippines into one of the fastest growing economies in the world.”
In his statement, Secretary Cayetano hailed overseas Filipinos, saying the Philippine economy defied expectations and even posted a 6.9 percent growth in the third quarter of the year also because of their contribution. He cited statistics from the Bangko Sentral that showed remittance flows remained a major driver of economic growth and accounted for 9.8 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2016.
“Our embassies and consulates all over the world remain guided by President Durterte’s directive for us to not only continue looking after the welfare of our kababayans abroad by improving our services but to also ensure their comfort and convenience,” Secretary Cayetano said. “Soon, we will be launching new initiatives in the Philippines and abroad to improve the delivery of consular and other services. This is the least we could do to repay our kababayans overseas.”
According to Secretary Cayetano, the DFA has been working closely with Secretary Silvestre Bello III of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to improve coordination, especially in responding to requests for assistance from distressed Filipinos abroad.
Secretary Cayetano said he expects to formally present to the President and the Cabinet a proposal for the creation of an OFW Cluster that will include the DFA, DOLE and other government agencies, to ensure better coordination on matters involving overseas workers and their family members in the Philippines.
“President Duterte is also fulfilling his commitment to support the work of the DFA Office of Migrant Workers Affairs and address concerns of our overseas workers,” Secretary Cayetano said, adding that the DFA can be expected to be more responsive in addressing the needs of distressed Filipinos abroad after the President increased the budget for Assistance to Nationals (ATN) from P400-million to P1-billion for 2018.
Secretary Cayetano also said he has reiterated the President’s instructions to Philippine embassies and consulates abroad, especially in the United States and the Middle East, to not only continue improving the delivery of consular and other services but to ensure the welfare and convenience of overseas Filipinos.
Secretary Cayetano, who is currently on an official visit to Hong Kong, will also travel to Macau where he will meet with members of the Filipino Community there and personally extend his greetings as part of the commemoration of Overseas Filipino month. END